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2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T First Test - Motor Trend
in acceleration, it meets or exceeds it's turbo4 and V6 sedans. 0-60 in 6.5 seconds for a family sedan. Only two V6 sedans were quicker by a few tenths. It is faster than the Regal but the Regal beats it in braking and handling.
It's a very impressive effort from Hyundai. I've been saying for a while now that turbo 4's are going to be the drivetrain of the future for the family sedan. It will be interesting to see how the segment responds. Ford has the Ecoboost motors waiting in the wings to go into the Fusion. GM is redesigning the Malibu for next year and the 2.0 turbo ecotec has already been made with more power in other vehicles (260 and 300 horse versions) than what they put into the Regal. The oddballs seem to be the Japanese big three Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Honda and Nissan have turbo motors in their lineup that are very impressive but none have been put into cars, but Toyota seems to lack in this area having nothing on the shelf to go this direction.
Edit: Just wanted to add that the Regal's numbers are actually impressive considering it is carrying 300+ more pounds than the other cars, but still manages to win in terms of braking and handling. If the rumor mill is true that they are going to offer a 260+ version of the 2.0 turbo, the Regal should erase it's accleration defficiency/
All I can say about Hyundai's new products is WOW. I've been a loyal Honda guy for years, but I've been looking at Hyundai for some time now and I think the time is right to step into a Hyundai.
It's sister company Kia is equally impressive.
The new Sonata is one of the only family sedans that received the new updated 5-star crash rating by NHTSA.
The new Sonata is one of the only family sedans that received the new updated 5-star crash rating by NHTSA.
That's because the Sonata is the only new platform among the group. Some of the vehicles in the segment (Fusion and Accord) were facelifted, but none are a complete redesign. I imagine that when those cars receive their major update, they will also achieve the new 5 star standard. With that said, if you are in the market today and safety is your primary concern, then the Sonata is the best choice.
I have been waiting for this model. After test driving various sedans for the last year we decided we like the Sonata and Fusion but the standard Sonata was a hair short on power and the v6 Fusion fun but a bit heavy on gas use.
On paper this looks like a great deal for us but we know a long test drive and final price will really tell one way or another.
I wasn't able to view the article. It's blocked at my workplace. Do they mention anything about turbo lag?
They didn't mention any turbo lag, but it is a twin scroll design, so that should minimize any lag there is. Of interest though is that in terms of power to weight ratio it matches the Altima 3.5, but is 2 tenths slower to 60 and 2 tenths and 1.5 mph slower in the quarter. To me, that means the power range is narrower than the Altima 3.5 or the transmission isn't as well designed. My guess would be the transmission is geared more for economy than performance.
As far as specs go it makes 274hp @ 6,000 RPM and delivers 269lb-ft. between 1,800 and 4,500 RPM. Assuming that it's cruising RPM will be in the 2k range on the highway it shouldn't take long for the turbo to spool. If anything lag won't be the issue, but it will run out of breath up top.
My guess would be the transmission is geared more for economy than performance.
Which makes perfect sense since I don't think Hyundai is really going after the performance-oriented buyer to begin with. I think this is really just an effort to appease the people who like a big family sedan, but want V6 power. And it sounds like Hyundai may have succeeded in doing just that. If you look at the other V6 offerings like the Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry, those aren't exactly meant for the enthusiast driver either. But given that CAFE standards will go up, I think Hyundai is doing the right thing by dropping the V6. It won't surprise me if Honda and Toyota someday follow suit, if for no other reason than to reduce production costs for the Accord and Camry and remain competitive with Hyundai.
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